Zooey:
With respect: this is faulty reasoning.
What you are saying is, ‘these are gifts that were given, therefore it is all right to use them’, when Paul was clearly writing to correct the fact that these things were going on. Why would he correct them, if they were regarded as gifts?
You seem to be under the impression that Pauls corrections requested the removal of these gifts. You are sorely mistaken(read below, i believe i address this last)
Zooey:
Now, as to what they might do in private prayer–that would be a matter between them & God. But in public worship, Paul clearly states that they were out of order.
In no way can one consider the letter to the Corinthians to be an encouragement of their behaviour. Just the opposite.
God bless.
Again, re-read the chapter. Paul is Definitely talking about public worship. He doesn’t even address private matters(accept that if an intepreter is absent, tongues should be said to oneself)
I’m gonna try and back this up scripturally by going to 1 Corinthians 14, i decided to use the new king james version for this.
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
Alright, this is the first line. obviously he is not at all telling them to “ease up” on the gifts.
*
5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for *
he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
Now, Paul realizes who he is talking to. He knows that human beings are easily confused. He spends 5 verses explaining how prophesy is better than tongues. If he did not seriously mean that he wished they could all speak in tongues, he would have clarified it. Something like “Now i wish that you all spoke in tongues, but i know that you would become a pompus church”
Skipping 6-21, which talk basically about how someone has to be pure in spirit when speaking in tongues, so we can all say amen even if they don’t make any sense.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
I like this verse. I think we as christians often like to say that tongues is for believers, one because we would scare unbelievers, who wouldn’t understand, and two, that we feel it is a more private thing( i know, this doesn’t address your post, just one of my own wonderful tidbits of knowledge) Paul states quite clearly, tongues are to be shown to unbelievers, not hidden. Does that call for them during sunday mass? unfortunately, i don’t understand Catholic structure and purpose to tell you.
39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
When all is said and done, Paul is quite clear.
I honestly can’t recall a time where God has called his leaders to “Godly softness”. You seem to claim that Paul is simply trying to contain a raging bull, he’ll worry about taming it later. Scripture shows this isn’t the case. If Paul was going to rebuke, why not the whole nine yards? why go halfway, and send instructions, which he knew were going to be treated as law, to only go halfway.
to the first paragraph and 
to the second one. (don’t you just love children at Mass? I do, I always think of Jesus saying to bring the little one’s to Him, for of such is the Kingdom of God.)
